Conventionally, cameras and others including an image pickup optical system composed of plural lenses are in widespread use. In such a camera or the like, an image of a subject based on a light pencil incident on the image pickup optical system is formed on image sensors such as CCDs (Charge Coupled Devices) placed at specified positions. For such cameras, there is a desire for their further downsizing with a view to facilitating their incorporation into portable terminal equipment in addition to enhancements in zoom function, autofocus function or other higher functions and higher resolutions.
Furthermore, cameras having the zoom function are, in general, so designed that a zoom lens group and a shutter unit are integrally moved so as to provide a smaller aperture. That is, the shutter unit is secured on a subject side of the integrally driven lens group, with an FPC (Flexible Printed Circuit) provided for supplying power to the shutter unit. The FPC goes deformed with the moving lens group.
Among lens tubes equipped with such an FPC as shown above is one disclosed in JP 2006-3458 A (Patent Literature 1). An example of FPC placement and routing disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is shown in FIG. 7.
In FIG. 7, the FPC 1 is placed on an image pickup side of the shutter unit (not shown), and an L-shaped hooking holder 4 is integrally formed with an annular lid member 3 of a shutter holding frame 2 for routing of the FPC 1. Then, on a subject side of the FPC 1, a U-shaped portion 5 is formed by bending the FPC 1, and the U-shaped portion 5 is hooked to the hooking holder 4, with the FPC 1 drawn out on the image pickup side.
However, the conventional lens tube disclosed in Patent Literature 1 has the following problems. That is, since the shutter unit is placed more on the subject side than the lens group that is movably supported by the shutter holding frame 2, there arises a need for the annular lid member 3 to support the shutter unit on the shutter holding frame 2. Thus, members count increases as a problem.
Also, since the FPC 1 on the shutter unit side needs to be hooked to the hooking holder 4 provided in the annular lid member 3, the assembling work becomes more complex as another problem.
There is also a problem that since the FPC 1 undergoes an abrupt bending stress applied to the U-shaped portion 5 hooked to the hooking holder 4, disconnection may occur to conductive portions of the FPC 1.